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| | | Subject: After the 'quake
Posted Oct 28, 2011 by Rod
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1
 | | A couple of months ago, returning after a couple of days away, we found the cooker (one of these radiant thingies) hob plate had cracked, near diagonally.
First thought "Bugrit, No1 Son's dropped something on it" (he's staying with us, trying to get settled/immigrated). But no, 'twasn't that. No sign of 'starring' to indicate a thump.
There's a ridge, noticeable only by eye and with careful feeling and two chips noticeable only when the light is just so, very shallow and dimensions way less than a millimetre.
The original (riffle through the builder's reams & reams of paper) supplier says the manufacturer doesn't want to know. Cost? about $600 + fitting (say £500ish for the job).
The house contents insurer doesn't want to know.
So. Unexplained. Hie me to EQC (earthquake commission) 'cos there's no other reasonable cause to be inferred.
Voila! The insurer has come all-over friendly and may well payout after another inspection.
... and then, the significance of something minor that I'd noticed came belatedly home to roost...
The kitchen is approximately C shaped, the hob being on the bench-top against one short wall and maybe three inches lower than the sink & worktop that's against the adjoining wall.
Now, the thing is we have a glass trivet, pretty, circular and on four LRF (you know the LRF principle - those things we used in order to cure items of overheating boxed electrickery in the old days - Little Rubber Feet).
Now, the thing is, that trivet lives on the sink/worktop bench.
Now, the thing is, that trivet rocks slightly.
Now, the thing is, that trivet rocks slightly when turned through 90degrees... rocks in the same direction (east-west) in each case. It doesn't rock on the other bench-tops.
Now, the thing is, it didn't used to rock. At All.
So, that bench top is out of kilter when it didn't used to be.
Now, the thing is, the last major earthquake was in February but we've had many, many aftershocks, by far the majority of which are barely or not noticeable and are decreasing in intensity.
But still, it seems not unreasonable that a small disturbance after lots of others has provided that last straw.
I'm quite looking forward to the assessor's visit, now...
Rod
... but why did it take so long for me to catch-on to the evidence?
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| | | Subject: After the 'quake
Posted Oct 29, 2011 by frenchbean
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2
 | | Is the kitchen bench bottom out of kilter too? Or is it a wall-related problem? (Does that make sense?)
Same sort of things are happening here too. Cracks I am sure I didn't have until a handful of weeks ago have appeared. I am putting it down to accumulated aftershocks and the Oct 9th 5.5 which certainly gave the house a good old rattle and roll 
EQC are treating the Oct 9 shake as a 'new event' for insurance claims by the way, which may (or may not) help you.
EQC did their assessment at my place before Oct 9 of course 
Two very nice chaps who spent 2.5 hours scouring the place for stuff - and found more than I'd suspected.
Have you gone round the rest of the house looking for inconsistencies that may have passed you by? (I have!)
Good luck
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| | | Subject: After the 'quake
Posted Oct 30, 2011 by Rod
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3
| | Hi frenchbean, You're sounding a bit more settled within yourself than previously - I hope that's so.
Yes, we've been assessed in a similar manner. Nothing serious, luckily. Just a few cracks between brick & mortar, albeit a few more than I noticed. Also a short split in fascia above the brick pillar between garages (one's a workshop) (now you'll know where I live!) that may or may not be quake related or normal shrinkage. Of course, no doubt like yourself, we lodged a claim with the EQC for insurance purposes to ensure any problem was certifiably fixed ... ready for when the house is sold - some years from now but not too soon, mehopes.
I can't tell whether the bench problem is wall or floor related - nothing to show either way. Of course, the initial cause could well have gone back to (near enough) its previous position, leaving that benchtop having sprung just a tad in the middle-ish. I refuse to worry about it.
Actually, one thing the assessors glossed over... er no, I'll make that another journal entry (in the spirit of noohootoo).
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| | | Subject: After the 'quake
Posted Oct 30, 2011 by frenchbean
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4
| | Hi Rod 
I'm hunkering down for the long haul and definitely feeling more settled. Quieter earth helps.
Despite your comment I still have no idea where you live... rest easy 
I'm in a rental place, so my landlord is the one doing most of the worrying. My main concerns are about workmen messing up my precious garden when they come to rebuild a wall  Small beer compared to most people's worries, so I'm also taking the 'refuse to worry about it' approach.
Fb 
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